Try standing slightly closer to a friend or family member than you normally woul

Question

Try standing slightly closer to a friend or family member than you normally would, then note how he or she reacts. If you have a romantic partner or a very close friend, sit much farther apart from him or her than you normally would. For example, in a theater, sit one seat away from him or her, or sit at the opposite end of the couch if you would typically sit closer. Pay attention to the reactions that you elicit. Finally, when talking with an acquaintance, increase the distance between you each time the other person tries to decrease it and see how the other person responds. What do these responses to your space violations reveal to you regarding the importance of spacing norms in the United States? *Make sure you explain your odd behavior upon completion of your experiment! :)

Explanation / Answer

The average personal distance varies from culture to culture. Americans tend to require more personal space than in other cultures. If you try to get too close to an American during your conversation, he or she will feel that you are “in their face” and will try to back away. Public space is important when talking to your co worker or even sitting in a restaurant or theatre.What the theory of social distance tells us is that we will start to notice other people who are within this radius. The closer they get, the more we become aware and ready ourselves for appropriate action. When we are distant from another person, we feel a degree of safety from them. A person at a distance cannot attack us suddenly if they appear intimidating. Getting into others personal space can be offensive and rules should be followed depending upon which culture one belongs to and the kind of people one deals with. Too much closeness can make people uncomfortable or even feel threatened and too much distance especially with your romantic partner could seem wrong but just ample amount of distance is needed.

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